The Dinorwig Slate Quarry

The Dinorwig Slate Quarry was one of the largest slate quarries in the world. Today the scars of the side of the mountain along with the tips of slate waste are a silent testimony to the industrialisation of the beautiful North Wales valley.
Slate quarrymen were a special breed of highly skilled workers who laboured in what we would now be seen as appaling conditions in the face of the prevailing elements, forever running the risk of death, ill health and serious injury.
Winner of 2 awards... 'Best Newcomer' Jason Jones at the 2012 LLAMFF film fesival and 'Best Documentary' at the Camarthen Bay fim fesival 2012.
Translated titles:
La cantera de pizarra Dinorwig
Der Schiefersteinbruch Dinorwig
La carrière d'ardoise de Dinorwig
Dinorwig板岩採石場
Dinorwig skiferbrud
De leisteengroeve van Dinorwig
Tambang Batu Bara Dinorwig
La cava di ardesia di Dinorwig
ディノヴィグスレート採石場
Сланцевый карьер Динорвиг

[@tingtang48]

My Dad worked on this Quarry from the age of 15, he was crippled with Arthritis when I was 6 months Old. he hated the place.It was bad memories for my Dad, I still have fond memories as a child of going on holiday there and my children now follow in my footsteps although they will never experience (Thank God) what their Granddad went through!

[@b.2221]

A masterpiece on an unbelievable race of remarkable people.

[@David_Ellison_Photography]

There used to be a trail of white dust from the quarry up the road towards Snowdon Railway where all the bus stops were. No shelters to protect from the heavy rain, just rails to queue in. I used to enter the quarry via the slate tips in Nant Peris and explore all the levels after the quarrymen had gone home. There was no security and all the sheds were open. You could walk in them and even read the wages book in the foremans office. Penrhyn, Dinorwig and Glyn Rhonwy are museums and testament to the hard work and skills. The size of holes in the ground dug out by men is mindblowing!

[@alexmynard6206]

Thank you for sharing this. Around a year ago, me and my friends went climbing in the quarry along the miners path (the routes the took to move around the quarry). Its known in the climbing community as "snakes and ladders and tunnels". I thought it was just an old quarry that shut down. I had no idea of its hardship and unforgiving conditions. If you get the oppertunity its well worth a look. Its very odd to see their personal belongings sitting there. We stayed in the miners hut overnight in sleeping bags and it was horribly cold. I dread to think what it would have been like working there in winter. They were the real men.

[@carolinewigley2860]

Thank you very much for recommending this film. I live in Dinorwig, but had never seen this film. I own Capel Dinorwig and have always been very conscious of the important part the chapel played in the lives of the quarrymen and their families.

[@hawsrulebegin7768]

Heartbreaking. My grandad worked the slate mines. To see what they went through just to feed us makes me sad. Solid men with a work ethic that maybe doesn’t exist anymore. I give thanks to them for getting all our families through the years.

[@paulcomptonpdphotography]

Jason this is amazing, you should be known globally for this. The quarry is in my top ten if not top five places as you know.. Me and you have spent time together up there and even run workshops together there.. Its a places that always gets me every time i visit.. Thanks for this its really good to see how folk had to work to earn a crust and a little one at that. Kids and younger folk these days have no idea how lucky they are to have it handed to them on a plate.. These guys worked in all conditions and never missed a day even in bad weather and crap clothing. I take my hat off to anyone working there, i have been to the top cutting sheds i know how bloody hard a walk it it is less alone every day wow there really were a special lot.. If anyone is interested in seeing Dinorwig Quarry and taking photos, me and Jason do workshops there together.

[@MrHeliflyguy]

What a brilliant film, after visiting the quarry at the weekend that had given me a better insight into the history and lives of the people that worked there. Thanks for sharing with us Jason.

[@BRANDY60rocks]

Thank you for posting the informative video ,The inclusion of the items about the men who worked the quarry in Welsh with subtitles adds so much to this piece thank you for this ,

[@janm2473]

Superb, Jason. You're a man of many talents,

[@jasonjonesphotography610]

Thank you Jann :)

[@24934637]

The quarries that scar the mountainside today are an incredibly beautiful industrial landscape and a wonderful monument to the men who worked is such dangerous and uncomfortable conditions to put a roof on the world!

[@maggyfish]

Different times people don’t know how lucky they are today great educational video thank you for this..

[@Auto_Funk]

Fascinating documentary Jason - Thank you for sharing this! I went climbing up in Dinorwig earlier this month which really got me thinking about how life in the quarry was and how it all functioned when it was in operation. We explored the old huts and outbuildings, trying to imagine what it must have been like to live and work there. Your amazing fillm transported me back to another time and gives tremendous insight into the feel and atmosphere of how it used to be. Superb work! :)

[@davidwilliams7632]

I remember the bus coming down the pass to Nant Peris and my taid and workmates going to the quarry and returning at night. I also remember the siren sounding and the noise of the blasting. They were hard men who worked in the quarry under those conditions

[@BraidensChannel]

Thank you Jason for this film, i found myself feeling quite emotional, it is all very well reading how hard their lives were, very different perspective after watching this film. My great grandfather Hugh Hughes and all his family from Talysarn Wales worked in the Dorothea mine. great work. regards Bronwyn.

[@GlenDomulevicz]

I thoroughly enjoyed your vlogs on the Dinorwig Slate Quarry. This documentary was an excellent background story to that unique place. Thank You.

[@johnwilliamson3228]

I used to spend my school holidays staying with friends of my family in Deiniolen. Bob Jones who I stayed with was a former Dinorwic quarry worker. The walking around the mountains was fantastic, from Deiniolen to Llanberis and all the surrounding villages. A couple of times we went to the Dinorwic quarry it's a mind boggling place, the sheds were still there in 1970 and the deep pools at the bottom of the face. Never been to the area since, one day maybe.

[@deborahedwards5317]

Absolutely brilliant, powerful and heart wrenching hommage to these strong incredible dignified, diligent, and highly skilled men who were treated as slaves working in conditions very few could endure. Long Live the Quarry Men and all the Women who supported them. Emotional and beautiful piece of film

[@dennish.2212]

Hi Jason. I'm so happy that I stumbled across this. I am a huge history fan. Thanks mate.

[@juliewilliams9441]

My great-great grandfather was a slate counter down in Port Dinorwic before the slates where sent around the country and around the world.

[@garrattfan]

Beautiful background music, that on itself made it already worthwhile. The film is impressive.

[@markbaker209]

Fantastic film Jason, amazing place to photograph, one can feel the ghosts of the brave quarrymen as you walk around the place.

[@christopherlovelock9104]

The biggest slate quarry in the world, now a silent reminder to a way of life gone forever. There is a museum their to it's past glory, - too see it is awe inspiring. Unfortunately 'modern' man made materials have super-seeded slate. There is a very small industry producing some slate items but nothing will ever compare to this 'giant' of it's day. Excellent film.

[@deconteesawyer5758]

We bemoan the passage of an era where a man got his food and his woman with a club and dragged them both back home by the hair. R.I.P. Fred Flintstone.

[@NikkoYM]

Thank you for posting this. Absolutely fascinating. It's amazing to see the footage of the men working, and the footage of the rock falling down the shear drop. The interviews - just incredible. I'm way across the pond from you, but I found this very emotional. I have been trying to learn the history of slate quarries (bit by bit) in the UK for a story I'd like to try to write. This was actually very helpful. Really a learning experience.

[@trackdusty]

What dignified, proud, people.

[@alanroberts4060]

I will never look at Quarry's the same again with out thinking of the hardship, so sad :(. Thanks for sharing.

[@studiocommer]

What a gem! wonderful film of an amazing place.

[@jimswim2851]

I recently scaled this mountain with my girlfriend and two Frenchies. One hell of a climb! The sight is quite bitter sweet since it looks incredible but the reality is that whole area has been plundered and destroyed for its resources. You really have appreciate not only the work which was done by these men but the architecture. The way the waste slate is just spilling down the mountain and slowly starts morphing into bridges and walls is an incredible sight. For anyone going there you need to know that there is signs everywhere saying private and do not enter. But nobody listens and all the signs and fences have been torn down by people. So you are free to go pretty much anywhere you want. But please do not be morons like the people I saw trying to scale the loose slate. It’s slippy, you can’t get a good footing and just outright dangerous. You can however head straight up the mountain via the cart track. You can’t miss it, looks like something you would see on a roller coaster. It just goes straight all the way up the mountain with insane views all the way up.

[@jasonjonesphotography610]

Thanks

[@franciscocosta8933]

just beautiful movie thanks for sharing... i love that song in the end really beautiful.

[@SnowdoniaSkies]

Brilliant documentary thanks for sharing

[@jasonjonesphotography610]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@photografiaaustralis2131]

Wonderful documentary Jason. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@mats9192]

Amazing! What a good film Jason! Really interesting to see the history behind what is now seen in many landscape photography vlogs.

[@EggnogonthebogProductions]

Enjoyed that. Love local history.

[@mikewilliams3181]

That is exactly how I remember it in the 1960s. Lovely to confirm that my memory is correct!

[@eltinjones4542]

Brilliant documentary very emotional to watch, well done Jason!

[@lousmaczylo7281]

What a wonderful film many thanks for that. Gayle and I really enjoyed watching It.

[@DavidJones-ql1tw]

My Grandfather told me that during the war, they were sent to work in the south wales coal mines...... He said he liked it there, as it was always the same temperature underground... Thats how hard the quarry was.. It was better to work in a pit :(

[@deconteesawyer5758]

All the better for having grand children if you don't freeze you balls off.

[@alanstokes1826]

Excellent Jason, excellent.

[@martinbyrne6643]

I am fitting old welsh slates to a log cabin roof in am building at the moment here in Ireland ‘ I am using them because they look really good and have a lovely blue color to them ‘ this a great video so sad and a tribute to the men that worked there ‘ the welsh slate adorned Many houses in Ireland ‘ and is regarded as the best roof covering u can use ‘ both for looks any longevity

[@TS-1267]

,,, ✨NO MOANING, JUST THE TELLING. THANKS.!!!✨ ,,, ✅✅✅

[@loveswimrun3430]

A good education, very important for us to know about the slate industry in Llanberis.

[@andykeeble1]

Fantastic film Jason! What terrible conditions they had to work in and how hard the work must have been.

[@brucejones4538]

...an excellent production!

[@annapowell-smith7231]

Excellent documentary, thanks for uploading.

[@jasonjonesphotography610]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@DigitalSWebVideos]

Time & time again this countries workforce have been walked all over and treated like shit. I've walked all over Wales seen the usual sites holiday visitors see, picked up bits of slate and thrown them down again. Without ever realising what extent people went through to earn a living and yet still people in charge back then tried and succeded to shaft them. Go on the walks down the visitor slate mines to give you an impression of what it was like, but frankly they don't until you see films like this. It makes me so very angry this was allowed to go on and people just accepted it because there was nothing else. So tell me where was the 'Great' in Britain back then, that so many people seem to crave for now? Fantastic video and loving your current photography videos! PS I also understand the determination to try and retain the welsh language and so it should!

[@ThePosiview]

That was amazing, thanks for posting.

[@1bluetoe]

HEALTH & SAFETY NEED TO WATCH THIS...

[@chrishall5140]

Looks like the area I was working on a film shoot earlier in the year.

[@stephenclarke3990]

What a great film 👍🏼 Its a shame slate is not used any longer, like it used to be, as it would have been a perfect job for every politician on the planet, get them to work in a slate quarry ❗️See how they got by on their 12 and a half pence ❗️🤣

[@TS-1267]

,,, Lassie @ 2:48 " Oooh! Wait While I Put Mi White Scarf & a Clean Cardy... " ,,, CHEERS ALOT 😁🙏👍

[@itsme-gm9oi]

Fantastic Thanks for posting.

[@paulmorrey4298]

Great video Thanks

[@jasonjonesphotography610]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@WHRBERT]

What a fascinating and fantastic film

[@gerryjamesedwards1227]

I'll never look at a slate roof, or a pile of slate chippings, in the same way again!

[@dotkomtom]

Captured it all so well.

[@hazelwild4002]

tommy- Thomas Dinorwic quarry men

[@OuterSpacesWales]

Wow, Jason!

[@nm-ge4tb]

brilliant piece of history

[@bassoonman1562]

Awesome Jason, an interesting film.

[@TS-1267]

,,, IT WAS PURE HAND BALLING WORK, THESE DAYS WE HAVE STIHL SAW WITH DIAMOND TIPPED BLADES... ,,, ✨✅✅✅✨🌞

[@franmol01]

fascinating story.

[@brickbat5608]

Brilliant!

[@gwilliams8656]

I climbed those ladders last weekend, amazing history

[@jasonjonesphotography610]

Yes they are!

[@jamesparkersculpture]

Great video! Very informative.

[@DavidCaplinGIS]

Great film!

[@bruceanderton1518]

An interesting film about a group of men who suffered much and were badly treated by the quarry owners. A great pity that there are so many mistakes and literals in the sub-titled translations.

[@maffs_mountain_adventures2903]

Hi I'm going to visit this place tomorrow I've just watched this sad film and I love the song at the end can any one help me with the name of it

[@acrobaticcripple8176]

Brilliant

[@TramEngineStudios]

This is brilliant!

[@AndyBeattieUK]

Very interesting Jason 👌

[@kieransherlock3902]

Awesome.Thanks for sharing this vid :)

[@jake_of_the_jungle9840]

I still make slate in 2021 in Granville ny

[@colinknight192]

Love this video - have been there twice. Also great music, could you tell me what it is please. Many thanks

[@jasonjonesphotography610]

thanks..the music was composed by John Koutselini for this film

[@ocelot2234]

Let’s re-open and work the quarry

[@zerofox7347]

We have it so good today that society is at the apathy stage of the circle.....which is bad!

[@Myndiawl]

My grandfather & all his brothers toiled their whole lives at this face

[@paulcomptonpdphotography]

wow mate they must have some tails to tell

[@meccy2523]

A good exposition of Dinorwig. I find the dereliction sad.

[@guitarselectric]

Who were the band at the end?

[@kenycymro]

Bendigedig o fideo, fantastic video. I was there two days ago, and not much has changed. Most of the old coats in the Caban have gone, and rubbish left everywhere, which is so sad, but everything else looks about the same.

[@paulmorrey4298]

Anyone know the song and singer at the end of the film ? Thanks

[@jasonjonesphotography610]

Kev Fox

[@RR-fc2ie]

Fist off i thought watching this was excellent as it showed the real reality of hard hard graft. Something boys these days could never doas the men who worked in the mimes and worked to produce that end result were real men.

[@jurgen6768]

Wedi mwynhau gwylio'r fideo yma yn fawr. Mi roedd fy nhaid a fy holl berthnasau gwrywaidd o Ddinorwig , Blue Peris , Deiniolen a Clwt y Bont i gyd yn gweithio yn y chwarel. Roedd fy nhaid yn gweithio yn yr galeri gyda rhaff o amgylch ei ganol ym mhob tywydd . Balch dweud fy mod yn disgyn o frid mor gain o ddynion.

[@moiwilliams7093]

i don't have to look at the subtitles

[@tilliemaekirk9444]

I wish I didn't. My Nain and Taid used to speak Welsh to me many years ago. I can remember only a nursery rhyme, Ogeth Toss???? Can not write any thing. My Grandparents were from Llanberis. I love to hear it spoken in this wonderful film. Thanks to Jason Jones.

[@tingtang48]

Who sings and what is the name of the band that sings at the end of this?:

[@andrewbeaven6190]

The track at the end is “A Picture” sung by Kev Fox - kzbin.infovideos. Don’t have anything more than that about him.

[@taff1538]

Tro cynta i mi weld hwn, gwaith da.

[@davejackson286]

You never mentioned petes eats the best caff in the universe

[@psammiad]

Sad history of exploitation... It's probably just as well the industry closed. But I bet the slate mines of poorer countries today are still pretty hideous.

[@weAreNotAloneHere]

Dragon scales

[@whitedevil275]

Brilliant